And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

NEHEMIAH 2:5KJV
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Nehemiah 2:5 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 2:5 mean?

Nehemiah 2:5 describes Nehemiah respectfully asking the king of Persia for permission to return to Judah and rebuild the city where his ancestors are buried. Nehemiah’s request is careful and humble, showing both his loyalty to the king and his deep concern for his homeland.

Nehemiah, a Jewish official serving the Persian king, speaks directly to the king in the royal court. He frames his request with politeness and deference, saying “If it please the king” and referring to himself as the king’s servant. Nehemiah’s main concern is to restore Jerusalem, described as “the city of my fathers’ sepulchres,” which highlights the personal and ancestral importance of the city to him.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 2:5

  • מֶלֶךְ (melekh, “king”): This word appears twice, emphasizing the authority Nehemiah is appealing to and the respect he shows in addressing the ruler.
  • עֶבֶד (eved, “servant”): Nehemiah calls himself the king’s servant, underlining his humility and subordinate position in the Persian court.
  • שָׁלַח (shalach, “send”): Nehemiah asks the king to “send” him, which shows he is not acting on his own authority but seeking official approval and support.
  • בָּנוֹת (banah, “build”): The word for “build” points to Nehemiah’s intention not just to visit, but to actively restore and rebuild Jerusalem.

Why Nehemiah 2:5 matters

  • Nehemiah 2:5 shows Nehemiah’s wisdom in approaching authority: he balances respect for the king with honesty about his own desires.
  • The verse highlights the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people, not just as a city, but as a place tied to family and heritage.
  • This request sets the stage for the rest of Nehemiah’s story, where the king’s response will determine whether the rebuilding of Jerusalem can begin.

Where else these words appear

“please” Hebrew H2895 · used in 33 verses

  • Numbers 10:29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
  • 1 Samuel 20:12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
  • Job 10:3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

“sepulchres” Hebrew H6913 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
  • 1 Kings 13:31 And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
  • Job 17:1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

“favour” Hebrew H3190 · used in 102 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Deuteronomy 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
  • Psalms 49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.